Police officers stand for the national anthem during a ceremony in Hà Nội yesterday, before they deploy on UN peacekeeping operations. VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Kiên

HÀ NỘI – Việt Nam is ready to take part in more UN peacekeeping operations in the future, Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Hoàng Xuân Chiến said to UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Pauline Tamesis in Hà Nội on August 12.

Chiến praised the cooperation and assistance provided by the UN and its agencies, especially the UN Resident Coordinator Office, when Việt Nam served as the ASEAN Chair in 2020 and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2020 - 2021.

He thanked the UN and relevant agencies for working closely with Việt Nam to successfully carry out many war aftermath settlement activities, particularly programmes and projects on addressing unexploded ordnance and toxic chemicals, which brought positive outcomes.

The official said he hoped the UN would continue coordinating with the Defence Ministry in war aftermath settlement through financial and technical aid, capacity building, experience sharing, and database building.

Since Việt Nam officially joined UN peacekeeping forces in 2014, it has successfully deployed over 500 personnel on peacekeeping missions and to the UN headquarters. It is also the first country in Southeast Asia to implement three training courses on heavy engineering equipment, under the Việt Nam-UN-Japan trilateral partnership programme, which received strong evaluations from UN leaders.

The country has maintained a rate of female participation in peacekeeping operations that is higher than the average and pledges to maintain and increase this rate to over 20 per cent by 2025, according to Chiến.

Việt Nam would further engage in UN peacekeeping operations, including sending personnel on more missions and diversifying participation forms, he noted, adding that police would also be deployed on operations.

The official asked the UN to continue supporting Việt Nam’s commitments and political resolve to join peacekeeping operations, and create favourable conditions to further enhance cooperation in this regard.

Tamesis applauded Việt Nam's efforts, especially its military and police forces, in containing the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UN would assist the Vietnamese Government and people in securing the best possible post-pandemic socio-economic recovery and meet healthcare-related demand, she said.

The official said she recently had the honour of signing the Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development Cooperation with the Vietnamese Government, describing it as a very important document that outlines the UN’s strategy and assistance priorities for the country in the next five years. The document also underlines the UN’s role in helping Việt Nam recover after the pandemic and ensuring that no one is left behind.

The Resident Coordinator spoke highly of Việt Nam’s achievements in joining UN peacekeeping operations, including the high rate of female participation, noting the UN pledges to continue assistance in this field.

The UN also highly valued Việt Nam sending police officers on peacekeeping operations, including three to the mission in South Sudan and one to the Police Division in New York, Tamesis added. - VNS